Atheism, a dangerous idea?

They are afraid that their 'sheep' will be lead astray, and satan will take over.Me, I think it is a lot of insecurity on their part.

What do you mean about 'the uncertainty of what they believe in'?? I am very certain about what I believe in. It is just that 'atheism' does not have a standard reference point for every atheist. The only thing various atheists have in common is the lack of belief in god/goddesses.Are you talking about the fact you do not know what any specific atheist will believe in? Or, are you trying to bring up the arguement that atheists don't have 'an objective morality' that many christians use?

Your parents certainly had a very interesting way of dealing with religion. Very commendable.

No, it is social conditioning with a bit of an idiosycracy of brain function.

And what is the "PURPOSE" that christianity gives?

Funny how you should mention that. IT seems that is exactly what some religious people do. The insurrection between the shites and the sunnis in iraq seem to have that as a component. The web sites that advocate the murder of gynocologists that perform abortions is another. Oh.. and we must not forget Eric Robert Rudolph, shall we? He used his specific Christian beliefs to justify bombing abortion clinics, and the olympics.

Depends on what you call the 'basic principles'. There is so much disagreement about that.

Well, atheism scares many more conservative Christians because the Christians insist that Being Christian and worshipping GOD is the source of morals. The fact that most atheists (just like most people) are moral puts a dent in that armor.The fact that these people who don't believe in God can be as moral (and in some cases, the atheists are more moral than many of the christians) cuts loose one of their self justifications to belief. To them, it is a dangerous idea, since it shows that people can be MORAL without having the morals imposed from God, with threats of Damnation.

That depends. if it is a 'Moral/immoral', them possibly not.
If there is verbage, and someone uses the key phrase 'we are all sinnners', then that would be a chrisitian

How do you explain those atheists who are ex-christians, and after they left the church, they are much happier, much more intune with themselves, and also are more willing and able to help people through difficulties? I have seen that happen on a number of occations.

I will give you some background on one of them.ONe fo them was brought up in a fundamentalist church. After they grew up, they were disconnent in that church,and went from church to church to church. Then, at age 45, they gave up the idea of there being a god. They felt a great deal of relief, because they had felt they were lying to themselves for a long time.Another one was a minister for 50 years before he publicly became an atheist. (That one was personally startling to me)The main point is that people have had postivie life affirming experiances leaving christianity , the same way other people have had life affirming postive experiances going to it.I think it is the shedding of an 'old' way of thought to be refreshed in a 'new' way of thought that gives the experiance, and the original
belief system and the later belief system is not as important as the feeling of renewal.From what I have seen (mind you, it is a small sample), this sense of renewal going to atheism was accompanied by a heightened awareness of compassion to their fellow man. I am quite sure that the same thing happened to people who became 'born again'.The people who left Christianity and became atheists did not become 'bad' people suddenly. If anything, they acted better, because they felt better about themselves.

Funny thing.When it comez to Christians, I have noticed that 'anything goes' too. I have seen must justification of bigotry using the Bible.As for what you think other people experianced, you are assuming. I can not.I also don't accept any of your quotes from the new testament as being valid. I don't accept the New Testament as a source of truth or wisdom at all. Those quotes are irrelavent to me. It might bring you great plesure and self jusitifcation to contemplate them. HOwever, it is meaningless to any non-christian.